Needle-lever support for sewing-machines.



n. s. SEYMOUR, NEEDLE LEVER SUPPORT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. I916.

1,269,650. Patented June 18, 1918.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

D. S. SEYMOUR.

NEEDLE LEVER SUPPORT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6,19l6.

Patented June 18, 1918.

t O r m 0 M 8 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DUDLEY S. SEYMOUR, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

NEEDLE-LEVER SUPPORT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1918.

Application filed July 6, 1916. Serial No. 107,806.

Oak Park, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Needle-Lever Supports for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in supports for needle levers for sewing machines, and more particularly to a needle lever support such as shown and described in the application of James R. Mofiatt, Serial No. 938, filed January 7, 1915.

An object of the invention is to provide a needle lever support wherein the needle lever may be shifted in a direction parallel with the p'votal axis of the lever for alining said needle lever with the needle bar.

I In the drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention:.

Figure 1 is a front view of a sewing machine having my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same',

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the overhanging arm and a portion of the needle lever with my improved sup-.- porting bearing therefor;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged .front View of 'the needle lever and the supporting bearing therefor;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the supporting bearing and the overhanging arm;

Fig. 6 is a view, partly in section throug the bearing, and partly in front elevation .of the lever; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the supporting sleeve for the needle lever.

The invention consists in providing the projecting stud carried by the overhanging arm with cone bearings on which the supporting sleeve for the needle lever is mounted. The needle lever is connected to this supporting sleeve by means of a key or otherwise so that the needle lever and sleeve will move together. The needle lever, however, is adjustable endwise on the sleeve and is held in an adjusted position by clamping nuts.

Referring more in detail to the drawingsz- I have shown my invention applied to a sewing machine having an overhangingarm- 1 in which reciprocates a needle bar 2. The needle bar is reciprocated by a needle lever 3 which is connected to the needle bar by a link 4. Said needle lever is oscillated by an eccentric strap 5 cooperating with an eccentric 'on the main shaft.

The overhanging arm 1 is formed with a laterally projecting boss 6 (see Figs. 3 and 5). There is an opening 7 extending through the overhanging arm and the boss 6 in which the supporting stud 8 for the needle lever is mounted. Said stud has a cone bearing 9 formed integral therewith. The'overhanging arm is recessed as at 10, and the cone bearing 9 seats against the base of the recess. A nut 11 threaded onto the outer end of the stud 8 clamps the stud firmly to'the overhanging arm. The stud 8 at its other end is provided with an adjustable cone bearing 12 which may be moved along the bearing and is held in adjusted position by a set-screw 13. One or more set-screws may be used, if desired.

Mounted on the cone bearings 9 and 12 is a sleeve 14. The cone bearings are properly adjusted so as to. support the sleeve whereby it may freely oscillate on the supporting bearings. Locknuts 15 are threaded on the forward endof the sleeve 14 and are turned up against the cone bearings so as to firmly hold the parts in adjusted position. The needle lever 3 slips onto the sleeve 14 and is keyed to the sleeve 14 by a key 16 which fits in a recess 17 in the sleeve and also a recess 18 in the lever. The sleeve 14 is provided with a nut 19 which is' needle lever adjacent the needle bar is slightly out of alinement with the bar. The needle lever is sometimes brought out of alinement with the needle bar by facingoff too much or not enough of the bearing surface of the overhanging arm against which the inner end of the needle lever hub abuts. In either of these conditions, the needle lever may be brought into alinement with the needle bar in the following manner:

By adjustingthe'nutslS) and 20, the needle lever may be shifted in a direction parallel with its pivotal axis, thus changing the plane of oscillation of the lever until it is properly disposed relative to the needle bar. The sleeve which supports the needle lever oscillates freely on the supporting bearings provided therefor, and these bearings may be quickly adjusted for taking up any wear. It is not only essential that the needle lever shall be properly positioned in the plane of the needle bar, but it is also essential that, when once positioned, this position shall be maintained.

The cone bearings described above provide a very eflicient and durable supporting bearing beneath the looper which allows the same to oscillate freely with little friction and also to maintain its set-position relative to the needle bar. I The stud -8 has a flattened portion 13 which is engaged by the set-screw l3, and this serves to hold the cone l4 always in the same angular position for various adjustments of the same. By holding the cone in the same angular or axial position relative to the stud, a true bearing surface between the cones and the sleeves is maintained. Furthermore, it will be noted that the overhanging arm is formed with a recess 21 to receive the inner cone 9, and this cone abuts against the base of the recess. The sleeve 14 also extends into the recess. This makes a very firm and durable bearing and permits the needle lever to be mounted on cone bearings and, at the same time, oscillate close to the front face of the overhanging arm. It will also be noted that in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the end of the needle lever 3 is offset or bent at right angles to the main part of the lever, as indicated at 22. This brings the end of the lever directly over the main shaft,

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims. '7

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. In a sewing machine, the combination with an overhanging arm, a needle bar reciprocating in said arm, a needle lever for reciprocating said needle bar, and means for pivotally supporting saidneedle lever, including a supporting stud, cone bearings carried thereby, a sleeve mounted on said cone bearings, and means for coimecting said needle lever to said sleeve.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination with an overhanging arm, a needle bar re ciprocating in said arm, a needle lever for reciprocating said needle bar, and means for pivotally supporting said needle lever, in-

eluding a supporting stud fixed to said overhanging arm, cone bearings carried by said stud, one of said bearings being adjustable along the stud, a sleeve mounted on said cone bearings, and means for securing said needle lever to said sleeve.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination with an overhanging arm, a needle bar reciprocating in said arm, aneedle lever for reciprocating said needle bar, and means for pivotally supporting said needle lever, in-

eluding a supporting stud, means for clampmeans including a supporting stud fixed to the overhanging arm, spaced cone bearings carried by said stud, devices whereby said outer cone hearing may be adjusted but held in the same angular position for each adjustment thereof, a nut adjustable endwise of the sleeve, and means for holding the lever from oscillating relative to the sleeve.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination of an overhanging arm having a recess in its front face, a needle bar reciprocating in said arm, a needle lever for reciprocating said needle bar, means for pivotally supporting said needle lever including a supporting stud having a cone bearing formed integral therewith, devices for clamping said stud to the overhanging arm with said cone bearing abutting against the base of the recess in the overhanging arm, a cone hearing ad;- j ustably secured to the outer end of the stud, a sleeve mounted on the cone bearings, a nut adjustable endwise of the sleeve, means for clamping the lever against the nut, and means for holding the lever from oscillating relative to the sleeve. 7

6. In a. sewing machine, the combination of an overhanging arm, a main shaft, a needle bar reciprocating in said arm, a,

needle lever reciprocating in the n'eedle'bar, and an eccentric on the main shaft for opmeans for ivotally supporting said needle erating the eccentric strap. 10 lever including a supporting stud, cone bear- In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature ings carried thereby, a sleeve mounted on in the presence of two witnesses.

5 said cone bearings, means for connecting DUDLEY S. SEYMOUR.

said needle lever to said sleeve, said needle \Vitnesses: lever being offset at the driving end thereof, S. GEORGE TATE,

an eccentric strap connected to said lever, Jos. H. MASLAND. 

